Thread treating machine



8, 1953 R. B. NEWTON EIAL THREAD TREATING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 24, 1948 HIIllIllllllllllllllllllillfllllllllllllllllllll- III'II" INVENTOR. O///'e L l l/f/lfomson 3 Russell 5. Newton.

Arme/vm Aug. 18, 1953 R, B. NEWTON v ETAL THREAD TREATING MACHINE 4 SheetI-Sheat 3 Filed April 24, 1948 $2 ma km mmw M W A L e .6 M m 03M,

g- 3 R. B. NEWTON srm. 2,649,071

mm TREATING MACHINE- 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed A ril 24, 1948 O///'e L.

(i Pusseflfi. Newton.

Patented Aug. 18, 1953 THREAD TREATING MACHINE Russell B. Newton and Ollie L. Williamson, Danville, Va., assignors to Dan River Mills, Inc., Danville, Va., a corporation of Virginia Application April 24, 1948, Serial No. 23,057

Claims.

This invention relates to a thread treating machine that has provisions for dipping, stretching, compressing, drying and packaging yarns, cords, rovings, threads and the like, and particularly those which are formed of short fibers such as cotton, spun rayon, fiax, jute, etc.

In the treatment of roving to obtain the maximum increase in strength and maximum density in accordance with co-pending application of Russell B. Newton, Serial No. 558,635, filed October 14, 1944, now Patent No. 2,454,830, issued November 30, 1948, it is taught to treat the roving with a bonding material, stretch it to a point just short of the breaking point, compress it just short of the damaging point, dry it and set it. In another co-pending application of Russell B. Newton, Serial No. 765,339, filed August 1, 1947, it is proposed to prepare low stretch tire cord by a similar procedure, the particular emphasis in this application being placed on specific limitations necessary for the production of cords for tires. In each case it is desirable to have maximum compression to produce the most satisfactory product and it is highly desirable to obtain good penetration of the bonding material into treated yarns.

In the present invention a plurality of ends of cord or roving are dipped into a treating solution, untwisted, twisted, compressed, squeezed, partially dried, compressed, dried, set and packaged. After the squeezing operation all the yarns are held under predetermined tension during all the other operations. The outstanding novelty of the present apparatus is the means provided for simultaneously aiding penetration of the bondin material and compress- .ing the treated yarns, and the compression device itself which makes it possible to obtain high tensile strength and low gauge of treated yarns 'without the extreme tension necessary when following the teaching of the prior art, for example, Jennings U. S. Patent No. 2,220,958, issued November 12, 1940. Although the present invention finds its primary applications in the short fiber yarn field, highly beneficial results may also be obtained on continuous filament yarns such as rayon and nylon.

An object of this invention is to provide means for increasing the strength, decreasing the stretch, decreasing the gauge and increasing the density of short fiber yarns.

Another purpose of this invention is to provide means for simultaneously stretching and compacting short fiber yarns.

A further purpose of this invention is topro- 2 vide means for aiding the impregnation of bonding material into the yarns.

Another object of the invention relates to limiting stretch to avoid breakage and yet to obtain highest strength by oscillatory compression on all ends being treated in the machine.

Other objects and features of the invention relating to a means of untwisting and retwisting threads during the solution treating stage and means for slacking tension at the same stage will be described.

Various additional features of the invention will be apparent in the following description and claims.

Drawings accompanying the detailed description of the invention and the various views thereof may be briefly described as:

Figure 1, a general view of the complete machine.

Figure 2, a fiow diagram of yarn passage through the entire treating process.

Figure 3, a plan view of the treating and handling rolls of the machine.

Figure 4, a side elevation of the feed and dipping end of the machine showing the .driving elements of the respective rolls, viewed from the back of Figure 1.

Figure 5, a plan view at line 5-5 of Figure 4 showing reciprocating mechanism.

Figure 6, a detailed view of an eye-board guide.

Figure 7, a partial transverse section of the drying oven.

Figure 8, a side elevation of a compression roll assembly at the intermediate stage of the drying process view taken at line 88 of Figure 9.

Figure 9, a plan view showing the reciprocating mechanism for the compression or finishing roll.

Figure 10, a view of a pretension device on the multiple creel.

Figure 11, a view showing the manner in which first dip roll moves in a reverse direction to yarn travel.

Figure 12, a view showing the relationship of the first reciprocating rolls,- end view.

Figure 13, a view showing the relationship of the first reciprocating rolls, elevation.

Figure 14, a view showing the controlled spacing between reciprocating compression rolls at the end of the machine in the intermediate drying stage.

Figure 15, a view showing the relationship of the nip rolls in section.

The machine to be described can probably be best understood if each of the rolls which contact the yarn as it passes through the machine power driven, and on top of these rolls are, re-' spectively, smaller rolls 36, 31 and 39 mounted to rotate and reciprocate as will be described.

A last driven dip roll 49 lies at theend' of a dip tank 4| and above roll 49 is a squeeze roll 42. Two guide rolls 43 and 44 lead to a set of three rolls 46, 41, and 48, the first and last of whichare driven rolls; roll 41 rests between rolls 46 and 48 and creates a nipping and compression effect on yarn passing the set.

A drying chamber 59 is now placed in the circuit and the next roll 55 reverses the direction of the yarn to driven rolls 56, 51, and 58 over which are mounted, respectively, reciprocating compression rolls 66, 61 and 68.

A guide r011 69 lowers the yarn level to another drying chamber traverse and a take-up roll 19. A look roll 1| squeezes against roll 19 to aid in preventing excessive yarn slippage. An idle roll carries yarn to suitable individual take-up guide means 16 and spools 18.

All of the rolls are mounted on a suitable frame 99, which elevates the yarn flow to a belthigh' position. A constant speed motor 9| drives a gear reducing unit 92 and a chain 93 leads to a sprocket on shaft 94 on which roll 48 is mounted. A chain drive 95 connects shaft 94 with shaft 96 mounting roll 46. A gear 91 on shaft 96 drives a gear 98 on a shaft 99 through an idler gear I99. Suitable sprockets I9I, I92, I93, I94 are mounted on shafts 99, I96, I91, I98, mounting respectively the rolls 49, 26, 21 and 28. Thus each of these rolls is power driven in the same direction and at the same speed. A pulley I99 on shaft I96 is connected by a belt to a pulley I I9 on shaft I I9A mounting the roll which is a grooved metallic r011. Another pulley III on shaft I96 is connected by a belt II2 to a pulley II3 on a shaft H4 at the bottom of the frame 99. Shaft II4 extends across the frame and has a pulley II5 mounted thereon for purposes later to be described.

Returning now to shaft 96 of roll 46, on the end opposite the chain drive 95 is a gear I25 connected to an independently mounted gear I26 by a chain I21. Gear I26 rotates with a gear I28 on a shaft I29 and gear I28 meshes with a gear I39 on a shaft I3I mounting roll 19.

Gear reducer unit 92 also has a sprocket takeoff I49 with drive chain I4I leading to a sprocket I42 on shaft I 43 which extends transversely of the machine, (Fig. 3). Extending longitudinally of the machine are parallel shafts I44 and I45, one to each side of the machine, each being connected by a worm drive I46 to shaft I43. These shafts extend down the machine to another cross shaft I59 which is connected thereto by worm drives" I5I. Shaft I59 is connected to shafts I56, I51, and I58 by a chain sprocket I52 and chain drives I6I, I62, and I63 running on suitable sprockets. Rolls 56, 51 and 58, which are mounted on shafts I56,I51, and I58, are thus power driven at equal speedsfrom shaft I59. At the other end of shaft I59 a pulley I65 connects to a shaft I66 on which a pulley I61 is mounted for-purposes to be described below.

On the shafts I44 and I45 are friction rolls I19 adapted to drive winding or take-up spools I1I mounted on pivotal supports I12 along the machine (Fig. 1).

Rolls 36, 31, and 38 and rolls 66, 61 and 68 have been described above as reciprocating rolls. These rolls are mounted on suitable shafts which are in turn mounted for vertical adjustment. For example, in Figure 4 it will be seen that shafts I96, I91 and I98, which mount rolls 26, 21 and 28, are each journaled in the base of a bearing block I69 which has upright spaced projections I8I between'which are slidably mounted journal blocks I82: Rolls'36, 31 and 38 at the dipping end of the-machine rest by gravity on rolls 26, 21 and 28 and each has a'shaft I86, I81, I86 the ends of which are slidably journaled in journal blocks. For'some materials higher compression is desirable and pressure means may be used to control the force of rolls 36, 31 and 36 against rolls 26, 21 and 2B. Springs I99 urge the roll shafts-I86, I81, I88 toward a cam shaft I92 mounted at the ends thereof on suitable bearing extensions I94 mounted on uprights I8I. On this shaft I92 are cams I96, I91 and I98 which when rotated will cause reciprocation of rolls 36, 31 and 38. A pulley 299 on shaft I92 is connected by a belt to pulley I I5, previously described, on shaft I'I.4.

At the other end of the machine, rolls 66, '61 and 68 are mounted similarly to rolls 36, 31 and 38, that is, on shafts which are axially slidable in vertically shiftable journal blocks I82. As shown in Figures 8 and 9 controls are provided to regulate the vertical position of these rolls. A bolt 295 between uprights ISI is adjustable to position the axial spacing between rolls 58 and 66. Extending upwardly from each journal I82 is a toothed rack finger 298 positionedto cooperate with a pinion 299 on a shaft 2'I9. Rotation of shaft 2I9 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 8 will cause raising of roll 68. A weight (W) on arm 2II acts to assist in this lifting movement as a counterbalance and also to control the weight of the top roll on the yarn and thereby predetermine the amount of compression applied to the yarns.

Shafts 266, 261, and 268"mount rolls 66, 61 and 68 in slide journals I82 and project to, engage cams 216, 211 and 218 on a cam shaft 292. -A pulley 399 on shaft 292 accepts belt drive from pulley I61 previously described.

The oven '59 for drying the yarn is conventionally heated by a force draft heaterusing fluid fuel and shown diagrammatically at 229. Suitable controls may be used to regulate temperature and to cause entry of cool air during stoppage periods.

When the entire machine is threaded, each yarn originates at a'package in a multiple creel, Figure 1, and passes through a pig-tail guide 3I9, Figure 10; under hook 3I I, around pin" 3I2, under hook 3I3 to an eye-board 3I4, Figure 6, at the near'end of the machine. The pin 3I2 has a weighted Washer 329 which bears by gravity'on theyarn passing around pin 3I2j to create a tension on the yarn as it approaches the" ma.- chine to reduce residual'stretch on the yarn."'

The finished end of each yarn is wrapped on a spool HI and suitable guide means maybe employed to insure even wrapping.

The operation of the machine is' at follows? As the yarn is pulled from the cones, predetermined tension is applied by regulation 'of the number of weighted washers 329 so thatthe variations in residual stretch (Zero stretchrof different yarns are to a largeextent removed.

' From the pig-tail guide 3 I yarn passes through eye-board 3I4 over roll 25 which at the point of contact is moving in direction opposite to the yarn movement. Roll 25 is a grooved metallic roll which creates a relatively uniform tension on the yet unconfined yarn further to remove residual stretch before dipping. The yarn then passes under, between, and over the pairs of rollers 2636, 21-3l, and 2838. Each roller 26, 21 and 28 rotates in dip tank 4| so that the yarn is repeatedly exposed to bonding liquid. The number of these rolls can be increased or decreased or relative position changed as desired but their function will remain the same. The reciprocating action untwists and retwists the fibers to allow the bonding material to enter the yarn with the greatest ease, and at the same time compress the Wet yarns or rovings. Finally, the yarn passes under and over a stainless steel roll 40, which may be the same size as rolls 26, 21 and 28, or slightly larger, depending upon the type of yarn being processed and the amount of tension of relaxation desired during the treating step.

At the top of roll 48 is a squeeze roll 42 mounted in bearing blocks 324 which may be forced down by screws 325. Bearing blocks 324 are mounted between uprights 326 and 321. Squeeze roll 42 is made of synthetic rubber to prevent crushing of the yarn where extreme pressures are applied. Yarn passes next to idle roll 43 which is mounted in suitable bearings on uprights 326 and which is made of steel and serves to carry yarn more or less tangentially away from the soft squeeze roll 42 to prevent cutting of the roll caused by stretched yarn.

The yarn then reverses to grooved metal idle roll 44 and passes under driven roll 46. This group of rolls is called a nip and compression group. The yarn pulls idle roll 41 down against rolls 46 and 48 to compress the yarn and create friction. Instead of the nip roll set 46, 41 and 48, it may be desirable in some cases to use a grooved snub or slip roll such as that shown in copending application Serial No. 765,339.

During the passage between the roll sets 2636, 2'I--3'I and 28--38, the top rolls 36, 31 and 38 are reciprocating back and forth (see Figs. 12 and 13). The top rolls are preferably made or covered with synthetic rubber having a resilient surface. The speed of reciprocation, determined by cam speed, is directly proportional to roll speed so that the number of reversals per unit length of yarn is always constant. Thereby, even penetration and uniform compression are applied to each length of each yarn.

The purpose of the reciprocating rolls is twofold. First, the rubbing action on the yarn untwists the yarn allowing the bonding material to move between the fibers and then retwists the yarn so that it holds its strength in operation. This untwisting action also intermittently relaxes the yarn and renders it more susceptible to treatment. This relaxing may be enhanced by making the center roll 21 smaller in diameter than rolls 26 and 28 traveling at the same speed. Secondly, the rubbing action compresses the yarn in a manner to increase the tensile strength due to the fact that the individual strands are forced close together and in and around each other to lock in place. This compression can be carried almost to the crushing point of any individual fiber.

From the roll 48, the yarn goes to the lower pass of the drawing oven 50, and then to the tion by slippage. faster for the same reason. It has been found idling, grooved end roll 55 where direction is reversed and the yarn passes between the sets 56-66, 57-61, 58-68, of compression rolls. Each roll of these sets may be metallic and the clearance between them is closely regulable (Fig. 14). However, for some yarns it is preferable to use a resilient substance such as synthetic rubber for either top rolls 66, 61 and 68, or bottom rolls 56, 51, 58. In each case. sulficient pressure is maintained to decrease gauge of yarn and increase density. These rolls 56, 51 and 58 are preferably driven at a slightly greater rate of speed than the rolls 46 and 48 to create a definite stretch during the first pass of the yarn through the oven. It is also possible to set the clearance between these rolls so that they may be driven considerably faster than the yarn moves, thus acting as a polishing medium. The size of the chain sprocket I52 will govern the speed of the compression rolls. Preferably the machine speed and temperature are so regulated that the bonding material is in a semi-dry plastic state at the rolls 56-66, Ell-67, 58-68 so that when the compression and rolling actions are applied the plastic bonding materials will hold the fibers in their close union and compact state as they pass into the oven to be dried and set.

From the last group of rolls 5B-68 the yarn goes under a grooved roll 69 to be positionedfor the second oven pass. At the exit of the oven is the driven take-up roll I0 associated with squeeze roll lI made of or covered with a resilient material such as synthetic rubber. The speed of roll 10 determines the amount of stretching of the yarn and this can be controlled by the size, that is, the number of teeth in gear I36 (Figs. 1 and 3). From roll H yarn passes to idle roll 75 and then to individual guide runs I6 and the individual spools which are driven from shafts I44 and I45 by friction rolls I10.

Intermediate compression rolls 5666, 5'I61, and 58-68 may be moved'either at a slightly faster rate than the initial treating rolls and the roll set 464I--48 to create a stretching force on the multiple ends passing through the oven, or at a much faster rate to effect a polishing ac- Take-up roll I0 is rotated that during the drying stage a slackening takes place in some stretched yarn, particularly cotton yarn, and consequently this slackening must be considered in setting the speed of these intermediate and take-up rolls.

It will thus be seen that there is disclosed a machine for creating an initial dry tension, untwisting and retwisting during a wetting and a drying stage, controlled stretching during a drying or setting stage, and an intense compression of the yarn, preferably at the semi-dry stage. It will further be seen that the machine disclosed will treat a plurality of threads and yarns which initially may have different stretch characteristics or varying stretch characteristics without breakage. Removal of initial stretch variations and permissible slippage in the machine contribute to this result, but the reciprocating rolls compacting the semi-dry yarns assure lowest gauge and highest strength withou the necessity for maximum tension.

What we claim is:

1. A multiple end thread treating machine having a bath of treating liquid, which comprises ply spoolsthrough a bath of treatingv liquid, means comprising a reverse rotation rollwith slip contact on said ends for exerting light-individual tension on said ends between the spools and said bath to remove low. stretch characteristics, extended means having. an initial entrance and a final outlet for drying said treated-ends, means for compacting said ends ahead of said drying means, common means for simultaneously conducting said treated ends through said drying means and to impart thereto a predetermined stretch, and means between the entrance andthe exit of the drying means for materially compressing said ends while stretched and drying, said last named means comprising at least onepair of rollers arranged outside and independently of said drying means with parallel but spaced axes, one on each side of said ends, to carry said ends out of and back into said dry ing means during the drying thereof, and means for accurately controlling the space between surfaces of said rolls to exert a compressing force on said ends.

2. A multiple end thread treating machine having a bath of treating liquid, which comprises a plurality of supply spools, means for conducting endsfrom said supply spools through a bath of treating liquid, means for exerting light tension on said individual ends between the spools and said bath to remove l-ow stretch characteristics, extended means having an initial entrance and a final exit for drying said treated ends, means for simultaneously conductimpart relative axial reciprocation between the l rollers of said pair.

3. A multiple end thread treating machine having a bath of treating liquid,".which comprises a plurality of supply spools, a creel for said spools, means for conductingends from said spools through a bath of treating liquid comprising at least one pair of applicator rollers, oneroller of which is partially immersed in a treating solution and the other of which is arranged in parallel relation thereto for friction contact therewith, means for imparting relative axial reciprocation between the rollers of said pair of rollers, a grooved slip roll contacting each end between the creel and the applicator rolls, said slip roll moving in a direction. opposite to the thread movement to apply light slipping tension on each end to remove low stretch variation therein, and means for drying said treated ends.

,4. A multiple end thread treating machine having a bath of treating liquid, which comprises a plurality or supply spools, a creel {or said spools, means for conducting ends from said spools through a bath of treating liquid comprising at least one pair of applicator rollers, one roller of which is partially immersed in a treating solution and the other of which is arranged in parallel relation thereto for-friction contact therewith, means for imparting relative axial reciprocation between the rollers of said pair of rollers, a grooved slip roll contacting each end betweenthe creel and the applicator rolls, said slip roll moving in a direction opposite to the thread movement to apply light slipping tension on each. end to remove low stretch variation therein; meansioiidrying said treated ends, and means. for simultaneously imparting to said threads a predetermined stretch during thedrying thereof and prior to winding on individual take-up spools.

5. A multiple end thread treating machine having-a bath of treating 1lqllid, WhiCh comprises a plurality of supply spools, a creel for said-spools, means for conducting ends from said spoolsthrough a bath of treating liquid comprising at least one pair of applicator rollers, one roller of which is partially immersed in a treating solution and the other of which is arranged in parallel relation thereto for friction contact therewith, means for imparting relative axial reciprocation between the rollers of said pair of rollers, .a grooved slip roll contacting each end between the creel and the applicator rolls, said slip roll moving in a direction opposite to the thread movement to apply light slipping tension on. each end to remove low stretch variation therein, extended. means having an initial entrance and a final outlet for drying the treating solution on said treated ends, and means between the entrance and the exit of the drying means in the form of closely spaced, parallel, relatively reciprocable rolls positioned outside and independently of the drying means for compressing said ends during the drying.

6. A multiple end thread treating machine having a bath of treating liquid, which comprises a plurality of supply spools, means for conducting ends from said spools through a bath of treating liquid comprising at least one pairof rollers, one roller of which is partially immersed in a treating solution and the other of which is arranged in parallel relation thereto forv friction contact therewith, means for imparting relative axial reciprocation between the rollers of said pair of rollers, extended means having an initial entrance and a final outlet for drying the treating'solution on said treated ends without removal thereof, and means between the entrance and the exit of the drying means in the form of closely spaced, parallel, relatively reciprocable rolls positioned outside and independently of the drying means for compressing said ends during the drying.

'7. A multiple end thread treating machine which comprises a plurality of individual supply spools, a plurality of individual take up spools, a supply of treating solution, and means to treat a plurality of threads simultaneously between said supply spools and said take-up spools comprising a roll moving in a direction opposite to said yarn to apply an initial tensioning to said yarn to remove low stretch variation, at least one pair of adjacent rolls relatively reciprocable and one of which is in contact with treating solution in said supply to apply transverse compression and a twisting-untwisting motion to the thread to insure maximum saturation, additional rolls for stretching thetreated thread to elongate the same, means to dry the treated thread, additional compression rolls positioned independentfly of thedrying means to exert compression and twisting forces on said thread while partially dried, and final tension rolls to elongate said thread during the further setting of the treatingmaterial in drying.

:: S8. A -multiple: end thread. treatingv machine which comprises a plurality of individual supply spools, a plurality of individual take-up spools, a supply of treating solution, and means to treat a plurality of threads simultaneously between said supply spools and said take-up spools comprising at least one pair of adjacent rolls relatively reciprocable and one of which is in contact with treating solution in said supply to apply transverse compression and a twisting-untwisting motion to the thread to insure maximum saturation, additional rolls for stretching the treated thread to elongate the same, means to dry the treated thread, additional compression rolls positioned independently of the drying means to exert compression and twisting forces on said thread while partially dried, and final tension rolls to elongate said thread during the further setting of the treating material in drying.

9. A multiple end thread treating machine which comprises a plurality of individual supply spools, a plurality of individual take-up spools, a supply of treating solution, a plurality of equal size driven rolls partially immersed in said solution, a plurality of resilient surfaced compression rolls paired with said driven rolls, means to impart a relative reciprocal movement between the rolls of each pair whereby thread passing under and over each driven roll will be compressed and rubbed, a set of nip rolls comprising two spaced and parallel driven rolls and a third roll wedged between them whereby thread passing said compressing rolls and between said spaced parallel rolls is pinched and frictionally engaged by the third roll, a double-pass drying oven adjacent the nip rolls providing a drying passage for said multiple ends, a take-up roll at one end of said drying passage rotating at a greater surface speed than said nip rolls, means at the other end of said drying passage for compressing and rubbing the partially dried threads between the first and second pass through the oven comprising a plurality of driven rolls and a contact roll adjacent each of said last mentioned driven rolls to form a restricted opening for thread passage, and means to impart relative reciprocation between said last named driven rolls and its respective contact roll.

10. A multiple-end thread treating machine which comprises a plurality of individual supply spools, a plurality of take-up spools, a supply of treating solution, and means to treat a plurality of threads simultaneously between said supply spools and said take-up spools comprising three pairs of adjacent rolls relatively reciprocable and one of which is in contact with treating solution in said supply, means to drive said rolls at equal speeds, one of the intermediate rolls of said three pairs having a diameter smaller than the others whereby thread or yarn passing said rolls will be fed from roll to roll in a relaxed state, said reciprocable motion applying a transverse compression and a twisting-untwisting motion to the thread or yarn to insure maximum saturation and to reduce the gauge of thread or yarn being treated, means to dry said treated yarn, and supplemental compacting rolls to compact further the treated material positioned relative to the drying means to act on the thread or yarn when partially dried.

RUSSELL B. NEWTON. OLLIE L. WILLIAMSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,197,396 Price Sept. 5, 1916 1,729,272 King Sept. 24, 1929 1,745,285 Whifien Jan. 28, 1930 1,820,621 Junkers Aug. 25, 1931 1,877,488 Allen Sept. 13, 1932 1,893,107 Severson Jan. 3, 1933 2,040,105 Ritzert May 12, 1936 2,128,121 Craig Aug. 23, 1938 2,162,551 I-Iawley June 13, 1939 2,220,958 Jennings Nov. 12, 1940 2,260,860 Newton et al Oct. 28, 1941 2,381,398 Bosomworth Aug. 7, 1945 2,404,952 Fiechter July 30, 1946 2,419,922 Tippetts Apr. 29, 1947 2,476,298 Heizer July 19, 1949 2,601,394 Hansen June 24, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 531,910 Germany Aug. 17, 1931 

